Relationship Difficultiesish
by clue1117
Summary: Brennan has a problem of the sort that Angela fixes. That is, relationship difficulties-of a sort. Friendship/Romance/Angst. Not slash.
1. Confession

Without knocking Brennan stepped, with forced purposefulness, some reluctance, and a lot of nervousness into my office

Relationship Difficulties(ish)

_Confession _

Without knocking Brennan stepped, with forced purposefulness, some reluctance, and a lot of nervousness into my office, pushing the door closed behind her. I only glanced up from my computer screen at her entrance but when she came to stand in front of my desk and stared at me she became decidedly difficult to ignore. When she was satisfied she had my attention she spoke. Her words seemed to trip over one and other as they fought to make it off her tongue. The very rushed sentence she spoke was almost impossible to understand, but I got the gist of it.

"I have a problem."

When my only response was to stare rather blankly and a little expectantly at my best friend she clarified.

"Of the sort that you solve." Her words were met with more staring on my part. "Oh, you know, Ange… relationship difficulties." It required all my self restraint not to laugh at her awkwardness (it was so damn cute), which made it very difficult to talk, but I managed.

"I'll do what I can; sit and spill."

The tall brunette perched on the arm rest of my squishy armchair before saying, in all seriousness, "Angela Montenegro you must swear upon art itself that you will not repeat any part of this conversation to anyone, ever, even under threat of impending death." Whatever this was about, it was big. And I wanted to know every dirty little detail so I was quick to respond.

"I swear, I swear, now get on with it, I'm dying to hear all about this guy and the juicy gossip her bring." Being Tempe her response was a touch unorthodox.

"You are not dying Ange… Are you?" The last two words came out so horrified the intensity startled me.

"Of course not sweetie, it was a metaphor" I said reassuringly.

"Oh." She sounded so relieved I was worried her troubles had to do with a boyfriend soon to pass on. When she spoke again several minutes later it was without prompt and once again her words tumbled over each other.

"There's this guy and there was mutual attraction which led to a knight of passion which was supposed to be the end of it but it wasn't and I haven't got a clue what to do which is where you come in." When the rush of words stopped Brennan was blushing slightly and out of breath.

"Do you still like him?" I questioned. She just nodded. "Does he like you?" Another nod. "I can't say I'm seeing the problem. By the sounds of it you've found a nice boyfriend who cares for you. Just get together and enjoy your love for one and other."

The little crease between her eyebrows that she usually reserved for difficult skeletons had made an appearance. When she spoke she met my gaze. The grey-green depths of her eyes were turbulent; confused, scared, exhilarated and any number of other emotions I did not have time to register before she glanced away.

Her words came out sounding troubled and a little frantic. "Ange, the problem is not our continued attraction; the difficulty arises from the fact that I now carry his child."

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A/N: I will continue this; I'm just not sure where or how far I'll take it.


	2. Emotions

I could do nothing but stare

Relationship Difficulties(ish)

_Emotions_

I could do nothing but stare. I must have misheard. I simply could not summon a picture of a pregnant Brennan. Sitting across from me she looked a little concerned as I groped for words. After at least a solid minute I managed to choke out "Are you sure?" in a voice that sounded like it had not seen water in many days.

Nodding she informed me "I went to the doctors last night."

After a few minutes of my grappling with the idea of a pregnant Bones I had rather a lot of questions, but I didn't want to push Brennan over the edge. She had already opened up; she was vulnerable. Still, she seemed expectant. Deciding it would be safest I asked "Does the dad know?"

"I haven't told anyone but you yet." Her voice was tiny; she was terrified. It was still impossible not to feel a little flattered though. I had to comfort her, I just couldn't think how and for me that was saying something. Standing up I walled to my best friend and put my arms around her. Knowing Brennan, nothing I could say would help. For several minutes we stayed like that, Temperance clinging to me like the last solid thing on earth. Eventually she broke the silence.

"I'm scared" was she confessed quietly.

"I know, Sweetie, and that's alright. You're allowed to be scared, or sad, or mad, or happy. You're human and you have emotions and I'm here to listen" I murmured consolingly. My words undid her. She turned her head into my shoulder and cried, truly cried, cried without restraint and without reserve. And I did the only thing I could do, I held her and I rocked her and murmured comfortingly to her until her sobs died out and the shoulder of my blouse was soaked through. However, it was a good half-hour before her sobs did come to a stop. When her tears were finished I pulled back to look her in the eye only to find them closed and her face a serene mask. Her breathing was shallow too; she was lost in the world of unconsciousness.

I wouldn't have to rouse her. It was well after hours and neither of us was on duty. Doing my best not to wake my friend I sort of waddled to the couch and lay her down to rest. Throwing a blanket over her I whispered "don't let the bed bugs bite" and went back to my desk.


	3. Dad

It was almost two hours before Tempe so much as stirred

Relationship difficulties(ish)

_Dad_

It was almost two hours before Tempe so much as stirred. My eyes darted to her at the sound of blankets rustling but she was still in the land of dreams. Content to leave her in peace I went back to staring blankly at my computer screen, lost in my own thoughts.

"Booth" Temperance said simply, startling me out of my reverie. So she was awake after all.

"You're awake" I commented, stating the obvious. Then, "Booth? Do you need him? I can call him, tell him to come in. Where is my damn phone?" My words came out in a rush; I didn't want Brennan to be upset again.

"No" she sighed, a touch desperately.

"No?" I repeated a little stupidly. This whole pregnant Bones thing was messing with my brain.

"I don't need Booth. I was answering your question." Her voice was small again and she was addressing her hands which were curled in her lap now that she was sitting up.

Now I was confused and a little worried. "Tempe, Sweetie, I didn't ask you a question." I meant my words to be soft and caring, but even to my ears they had a hint of a clinical tone; like the shrinks use.

"But you want to." This time her words were directed at me. I admit I was thoroughly disconcerted and apparently it showed on my face.

"Come on Ange, you, Booth, Cam, Sweets, you've all been trying to teach me to read people in hopes that it would make me more tactful in my dealings with them since the day that I met each of you. You don't seem to have realized that maybe it worked. Besides you've been my best friend for what, almost twenty years now?" I nodded, dumbfound and she continued. "I was bound to pick up on the patterns; it is, after all, my job."

Did she really feel that way? I had to make her understand. Her people skills weren't an embarrassment to us. "Temperance… you have to understand, although your social skills aren't your strong point we all care for you and we don't want you to change because of what other people say. You wouldn't be our Brennan if you did; you wouldn't be the best friend that I need."

My words seemed to have calmed her. "I'm so sorry Angela. I didn't really sleep last night and I'm just so worried. It's messing with my emotions."

"Sweetie, it's ok, I understand." She gave me a sad little smile before speaking.

"The question you wanted to ask me, it was 'who's the father.' Now you have your answer and I have Booth's child growing in my womb.


	4. Decision

Relationship Difficulties(ish)

Relationship Difficulties(ish)

_Decision _

Stunned. It was the only adjective I could think of to describe how I felt at that moment. Sill, it didn't seem strong enough. Then I considered the look Booth would get on his face when he found out and came very close to bursting into hysterical giggles. It was only then that the thought struck me; I didn't know if Brennan was going to tell him. I didn't even know if Brennan planed to keep the child. Those were probably good things to know, but how to phrase the question so as not to set Temperance off again?

"Sweetie…?" I questioned cautiously.

"I'm not fragile. You don't have to treat me like I'm on my death bed! It's rather the opposite" she snapped, only to follow it up with some mutterings about "Now if we lived in any time other than the post-modern era that would be quite another story…"

"Sorry" I mumbled feeling like a reprimanded school girl. "I just wondered… umm…" The glare she gave me told me I had better spit it out. "Well… have you decided… I mean… are you… keeping the baby?" My voice was so high by the end of the sentence that I was amazed anyone but dogs could hear it.

She must have though because she let out a harsh laugh that startled me before saying darkly "decided? I'm still not entirely sure I believe any of this is happening."

"Oh" was all I said, but it seemed to be too much for her to handle because she burst into tears. Running to her side and enveloping her in my arms I just started talking; trying to comfort my best friend while attempting to avoid having my head bitten off and _way _out of my element. I hoped for the sake of everyone involved this was not a sampler of Brennan on pregnancy hormones. The normally overly rational, totally controlled anthropologist was an emotional wreck. Not that I was likely to say that anywhere near Tempe. It might be better not to _think_ it around her with her recently improved intuitive skills.

"It's ok Sweetie. We're all here for you, whether you choose to follow through with this pregnancy or not, or if you do and choose to put the child up for adoption or into a foster home. No matter what, all of us will be there for you, whether you need ice-cream at 3 am or someone to hold you hand during the birth or the abortion. You won't be in this alone."

A minute of quiet sobs preceded her next words. I have to assume she was rationalizeing saying them at all. "What if something happens…? What if it's like my parents, what if I have to go away? At least if I send the child away now it won't know, it's not truly human yet, no blood runs through its veins." She sound as if she were in physical pain; I suspect this is the biggest moral dilemma she had ever been in.

"You won't have to go away."

"You can't guarantee that."

"Your right, but I can guarantee this: It will never be alone. It will have me and Cam and Hodgins and Zack and your dad and Russ, but most of all, it will have Booth. He would never let harm or unhappiness come to anyone you cared for, be it his child or not."

"Do you promise?"

"Of course I do!" Perhaps I wasn't completely out of my league because when she looked up she was no longer crying. In fact, she was smiling, albeit only a little.

"I think I'm going to be a mom, Ange." I didn't question her phrasing. The tears were back, except this time they were not for anger, or sorrow, or worry, they were for something that wasn't quite joy, more like the expectation of bliss to come.

"I look forward to being a doting aunt." I was happy for Bones. A touch nervous (An overly hormonal Temperance was a scary thought), but pleased. She would always doubt herself but one of us would always be there to push her back into the light when she fell into the dark hole of despair, because no matter how much she denied it, she had emotions. The past few hours had been more that enough evidence to convince any jury. Not that Brennan had peers, exactly…

Wiggling slightly in my embrace she reached over and pulled my cell off the table. "Found your phone" was all she said as she handed it to me. But I understood. Now she needed Booth.

* * *

A/N: I am going camping for the next week and then school is starting so my next update may take a little while. I am sorry and promise to post chapter five as soon as possible.


	5. Reaction

Relationship Difficulties(ish)

_Reaction_

_Knock, knock, knock_. I gave a little start at the sound, but gave no other indication as to my feelings on Booth's arrival. This was going to be interesting though. The past twenty five minutes sure as hell had been. I had actually wound up cowering under my desk when Brennan decided that this whole fiasco was my fault. Apparently none of this would have happened if I hadn't pushed the two "partners" (that word had taken on a whole new meaning!) together. Mind you that was only after she had laughed for six minutes strait after I asked her if she wanted a cookie (she didn't.) And before she decided to baby proof my office to discover the job done (I had had a whim when Hodgins and I got engaged; there was no way I was taking maternity leave.)The next seven or eight minutes were spent with Temperance crying about the fact that I was more prepared for all of this than she was. The tears stopped abruptly when my phone rang and she jumped nearly three inches off the couch, but it was just a solicitor.

Now, as the knocking came, she sat stony faced, back ram rod straight, hands clenched at her sides and staring strait at the door. Apparently I was going to be taking charge of this situation. With a few easy strides I came to the door, but my hand was shaking so badly I could hardly turn the handle, and when I did I put so much force behind it I am amazed the hinges remained attached.

Normally this was the sort of thing I would pay money to watch, but I was so nervous I thought I might be sick. I could only imagine how poor Tempe felt and suppose that some things just change when it's your best friend who's pregnant; when you're not just a spectator.

"Can I come in Angela?" He sounds mildly perplexed as to why I had called him at this hour and where my manners had gone. He obviously hadn't noticed Bones yet.

"Oh, sorry" I mumble vaguely as I step aside to allow him into my office. Quickly I close the door after him. This need not go public.

Then he saw Brennan. "Oh, God! Bones!" He raced to her side and firmly gripped her shoulders. "Are you OK? What a stupid question! Of course you're not! Are you sick? Do you need me to get you anything? Would you prefer I stay?" I had never seen Booth so flustered. He always kept his cool, a skill drilled into him by both the army and the F.B.I. His freak out was a mark of how much he cared for Brennan.

"If you would calm down and shut up I could explain the currant predicament." Apparently some of Tempe's cold rationality had returned. I felt bad for Booth though, he was trying to help, but at the same time, was enormously relieved. Better the devil you know than that you don't… right?

"Booth, do you remember Friday two weeks ago?"

Shooting me a furtive glance, judging how much I knew and obviously embarrassed to be talking about this in front of me, he responded "Yes, Brennan. It's not the sort of thing one easily forgets."

Calmly as always, without even a hint of a blush she said "then you'll remember that the condom broke."

"Yes, but we're both clean, no S.T.I.s and you said you weren't due for another three weeks." Now he was nervous, with a hint of foreboding. It was almost funny watching him squirm.

"I lied. I was due this Monday. I was freaked out and I hate it when you're scared." Here she paused, unsure how to continue. She looked at me with her huge eyes, but I just nodded encouragingly. This is her battle. "I went to see the doctor last night." Now her eyes rose from their fixed position on her knees and green met brown as she continued in a voice of deadly calm and pure authority "we are going to have a child."

Blinking a few times, Booth then proceeded to have the least expected reaction; he laughed. He laughed so hard he could hardly breathe and tears streaked his now rosy cheeks.

I remained where I was, attempting to blend into the scenery and feeling very confused. Brennan was still in place on the couch, one hand resting on her stomach and an expression of absolute bewilderment on her face.

Booth was still just laughing. Finally he managed to choke out a rather segmented response interspersed with continued laughter. "Angela… I will… never… understand how you… talk her into… these ridiculous… pranks!"

* * *

A/N: Here it is at last! I apologize profusely for the outrageously long wait. School has simply been hectic. I will try to update soon, but no promises because school shows no signs of slowing down. Sorry!


	6. Serious

Relationship Difficulties(ish)

_Serious _

A/N: I have decided I didn't like the first version of this chapter, and that it did not allow for a thorough enough look at Booth's emotional state. Therefore I have re-written it, taking into account more recent canon events. Thus I feel it necessary to say: **The night they conceived was after the end of Episode 100.**

**

* * *

**

As Booth continued to laugh, Brennan again glanced at me in confusion but I could only shrug. I felt distinctly like a fish out of water. I had been way beyond right about this being out of my league, even if I could handle Tempe. Lucky for me Bones was back (almost) to her usual, forceful self and managed to take charged.

"Booth, I know I'm bad at all this social stuff, but I'm fairly certain that wasn't how you reacted to Rebecca's pregnancy." A pleading look from me prompted her to add "and keep Angela out of this, it's not her fault!" And I knew it was her way of apologizing for her earlier tirade. Not that I hadn't already forgiven her; she was so tired and stressed she wasn't quite Brennan.

Although few words had been said Booth was trained to observe and knew Temperance was always brutally honest, because she just didn't understand the concept of lying or pranks. And it sobered him right up.

Eyes wide and mouth wider, he floundered for words. "You're serious?" an incredulous squeak that sounded like he wanted to scream it, but his vocal cords had failed him.

"Of course" she's sounds so confused and a little hysterical, afraid she was doing this wrong. I tried to project encouraging thoughts into her genius brain; get her overly rational self to see sense. She was doing _nothing_ wrong!

After a rather tense pause Booth collapsed onto the couch next to Bones. "Well… wow."

"I understand if you want nothing to do with me or the baby." Emotionless.

Springing once more to his feet, with speed reminiscent of someone who had just mistaken a cactus for a chair, he shouted "Are you _crazy_?" Seeing that he had startled Tempe he continued more quietly "That's my kid in there, Brennan. And I know that you're probably really mad at me, and I get that. This could interrupt your career, but you have to understand that I could never say I don't love that baby. And as much as I know you don't want me to, I love you. It's your choice, and I respect that, but I would love for Parker to have a little brother or sister, even if they only ever know you as 'auntie Temperance' or don't know you at all, if that's what you want. But please, don't take my baby away."

He's crying. Big, tough, night-in-shining-FBI-armor Booth is crying. He is standing in front of Tempe, muscles all taught, like he wants to reach out and touch her to comfort her and make her understand, but he's resisting because he's not sure that's his right anymore. Instead one hand has gone to his hair while the other plays nervously with his _Cocky_ belt buckle.

"I wouldn't ask that of you, but neither would I ask undue hardship from a relationship with a child you didn't want." Her voice is just as taught as his muscles. I want to scream that it's pretty damn clear that this baby is not 'unwanted,' but I know it's not my place. I don't even think they remember I'm here.

Booth lowers his hands to his sides, where he grips his legs. "Please, Brennan. Never assume anything to do with you is _unwanted_. I want you to be happy. And I would really like it if that baby had a chance to be happy."

"You have made a difficult decision much easier. I will schedule pre-natal appointments tomorrow morning. I will inform them that the father will be attending."

"Thank you, Bones." The words are little more than a breath, but Tempe nods in response. I can't help but notice the return of the endearing nickname.

"This still leaves a number of questions surrounding the embryo, including living arrangements following it's birth and the preparations for the birth itself. At this time I am very tired and will be returning home. We will discuss this further tomorrow, but in the meantime please consider that I will be this child's mother."

Now Booth looks weak, drained, as if everything he had in him had gone into that conversation. "You're exhausted Bones; you shouldn't be driving. I'll take you home, you can pick up your car tomorrow."

She's so tired she acquiesces, giving a small nod to indicate yes and walking to the couch to grab her purse. As she comes back to his side, Booth turns to me and asks "Angela? Do you need a ride too?"

Well, that answers the question of whether or not they remembered I was here.

* * *

A/N: Finally, an update! It's been awhile and I apologize profusely. Hopefully summer will give me the opportunity to be more prolific with my updates. Also, in case you missed it at the begging of the chapter: **The night they conceived was after the end of Episode 100. **


	7. Car

**Relationship Difficulties(ish)**

_Car_

A/N: **I have updated chapter 6****. **Before you read this chapter, I recommend going back and re-reading chapter 6, as I have rewritten it and a slightly different timeline has been established.

* * *

I didn't sleep much last night. Jack kept asking me what was wrong, which obviously was not helping. I was a day late getting my period, which normally wouldn't have bothered me, but, after spending the day with Brennan, was freaking me out to no end. And, just to top things off, the car's transmission is shot (no surprise, with the way Jack drives the thing), so I had to accept a ride from Booth, which was about the most awkward twenty minutes of my life.

* * *

"Yes please. I wouldn't, but Jack treats the car like a toy, and he's broken the transmission. I know you guys probably want to discuss some stuff in private…"

Here Brennan whipped around to look at with the most pitiful, begging set of doe eyes I have ever seen and Booth just laughed. "Please, nothing in this lab is private."

A flush graced my cheeks at this, although I'm not sure if it was from thoughts of the various activities Jack and I have carried out that I sure as hell hoped _were _private or my intrusion on their personal… well it was a lot longer than a moment.

Seeing that I wasn't about to make any further movement he said calmly "Let's go."

"Okay." Standing, I walk a few paces behind the others, going very slowly to avoid bumping into them, as they are going at a snails pace, Booth still supporting the majority of Tempe's weight.

It takes us a solid ten minutes to make it to Booth's car and when we do he turns his head to speak quietly to her. Shaking her head slightly she responds quietly to his question, which had been too quiet for me to hear. "Back."

He nods and takes her to the back door, lifting her like a child, with his arms under her legs and around her shoulders, and lays her gently in the back seat. Ever safety conscious, he does up the seat belt, leaving the shoulder strap off so that she can remain curled on the back seat of his car, clearly on the verge of sleep. It's interesting to watch his loving, almost paternal, instincts surface; his knowing that, in that moment, she is week enough to accept what he has been trying to give her for the last five years.

After making Tempe as comfortable as possible he circles around the vehicle and begins to get in, stopping to say over the roof "Angela? You coming?"

I nod absently, walking to the passenger side door. As I open it and step into the warm car, I have to suppress a slightly hysterical giggle; the one time I don't want shotgun, and I get it. Just my luck.

The first five minutes are spent in awkward silence, far worse than any I have ever suffered before, even on bad blind dates. I think it something to do with the knowledge that I would have to see him again tomorrow and act like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. I honestly don't know whether it was a blessing or a curse when Booth broke the silence with "So, I'm going to guess you know everything."

"I have a… sketchy water color, of the events that passed between you and Tempe, yes."

"And when did she tell you?"

"Couple of hours ago."

"And you won't say anything?"

"Of course not!" And that was as far as that conversation get before we lapped back into silence.

In another couple of minutes, he took a turn that confused me, right up until I realized he was heading to my old apartment. Color flushed my cheeks as I mumbled, in the manner of an embarrassed school girl, "Umm, wrong way. Sorry, I forgot to tell you before… can you take me to Jack's, uh, Hodgins' place, please." By the end of it my voice was very high and I felt guilty, having kept the secret of our renewed relationship from them, especially under the circumstances of their complete openness in front of me tonight. I will have to speak with Jack about that, I decide.

He raises his eyebrows quizzically before answering, "Sure, but I'll need directions." And that was how we spent the next fifteen minutes; me squeaking out directions to Jack's place, mine now, too, and him in full FBI/Army I-have-complete-control-of-this-situation,-just-look-at-my-jaw-line mode, eyes fixed on the road. He offered nothing but a tight nod to each of my instructions, but I could tell he was using the slight neck movement as an opportunity to glance at the rear-view mirror and assure himself that Tempe was still safe and comfortable.

When we eventually reach the front gate of the Hodgins' estate I step shakily out of the car before leaning back in to say thank you and grab my bag. When I have made my gratitude clear and am almost out of the car again, I stop. "Good luck" I say to Booth, although I don't know what made me say it, what I hoped to achieve.

As I retreat a final time I catch the mearest glimmer of a tired smile on Tempe's lips and as I go to close the door Booth says quite clearly "Thank you, for being there when I couldn't be." I smile at both of them and type the command to open the gate and walk slowly up the lane, glancing over my shoulder at the retreating car. As I approach the front of the house and pull a key I have had for the last three years out of my purse, I wonder how I am going to explain the late hour of my arrival to my loving husband, who I know is awake, waiting for me, in the sitting room on the other side of the heavy oak front door.

* * *

A/N: In case you missed it: **I have updated chapter 6. **Also, the next chapter will be more Hodgins/Angela, but I will return to the usual programming with chapter nine. Lastly, I don't know whether Hodgins and Angela told the others about their wedding before the finale (even then, they weren't exactly explicit…), but I choose to assume they didn't; therefore, this story will follow that assumption.


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